WEEKS 

Withholding  a  Suitable 
Support  From  the  Ministers 
...  is  Robbing  God. 


BV 

4380 

W4 


Withholding  a  suitable  support  from  the  Ministers 
of  Religion,  is  robbing  God : 


SERMON, 

PREACHED  TO  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CONGREGATION  IN 
PLATTSBURGH,  N.  Y, 

SEPTEMBER   26,    1813. 


BY  WILLIAM  R.  WEEKS, 

»'! 

AT  THAT  TIME   PASTOR   OF   SAID  CONGREGATION 


ALBANY: 

PRINTED   FOR   THE   AVTHOf. 
1814. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CA 

SANTA  BARBARA 

A   SERMON,  &c. 

IT  is  the  iodispensible  duty  of  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  to  de- 
clare to  their  people  ail  the  counsel  of  God.  Every  doctrine  that 
God  has  revealed,  and  every  duty  that  he  has  enjoi  ed,  must  be  freely 
and  plainly  taught.  If  a  minister  neglects  to  preach  any  doctrine  of 
the  gospel,  and  his  people  perish  through  ignorance  of  the  way  of  life, 
their  blood  will  be  upon  his  head ;  and  if  he  neglects  to  inculcate  any 
duty  that  God  has  enjoined,  and  his  people,  through  ignorance,  live  in 
the  practice  of  disobedience  to  God's  commands,  he  is  a  partaker  in 
their  sins.  Some  doctrines  are  of  such  a  nature,  that  to  preach  them 
faithfully  and  plainly  requires  no  self-denial.  The  great  mercy  of 
God  in  providing  salvation  for  perishing  sinners,  his  great  wisdom  and 
goodness  in  governing  the  world,  in  over-ruling  the  wrath  and  the 
wickedness  of  men  and  devils,  and  making  their  utmost  efforts  instru- 
mental of  promoting  his  own  glory,  and  securing  the  best  interests  of  bis 
holy  kingdom,  are  subjects  which  we  dwell  upon  with  pleasure,  as  iu 
themselves  exceedingly  interesting  and  delightful.  But  other  doctrines 
are  of  such  a  nature,  that  to  preach  them  faithfully  requires  great  zeal 
for  God,  and  the  most  disinterested  love  to  souls.  To  describe  to  sin- 
ners that  vile  and  loathsome  character  which  belongs  to  all  the  unre- 
generate,  to  repeat  to  them  the  awful  denunciations  of  divine  wrath, 
and  to  describe  to  them  the  amazing  horrors  of  that  damnation  which 
awaits  them,  are  duties  in  themselves  most  unpleasant  and  painful.  la 
like  manner  also  it  is  in  declaring  the  duties  which  God  has  enjoined. 
To  point  out  and  enforce  some  of  them,  is  in  itself  very  pleasant  and 
interesting;  while  others  are  of  such  a  nature,  that  to  point  them  out 
clearly,  and  urge  them  home  to  the  consciences  of  men,  is  in  itself  ex- 
tremely painful,  and  calls  for  the  exercise  of  the  greatest  self-denial. 
The  minister,  nevertheless,  must  not  shrink  from  his  duty.  He  tnttst 
discharge  it,  however  disagreeable,  a*  he  would  be  faithful  to  his  Mas- 
ter, and  faithful  to  the  souls  committed  to  his  care. 

There  is  one  subject,  however,  which  ministeis  are  apt  to  pass  over 
in  silence,  though  it  is  intimately  connected  with  the  best  interests  of 
their  people,  and  is  of  vital  importance  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  This 
neglect  probably  arises  from  the  peculiar  delicacy  of  the  subject,  and 
the  great  difficulty  ministers  find  of  attending  to  it  in  a  proper  manner 
without  being  subjected  to  the  charge  of  doing  it  from  selfish  motives, 
and  not  from  a  sense  of  duty  to  God  and  their  people.  The  subject 


of  which  I  speak,  is  the  duty  of  a  people  to  support,  in  a  suitable  maa- 
n«v,  V  miniver  of  the  gospel.  When  I  concluded  to  take  up  this 
subjec'.  -tnd  p-epare  a  discourse  upon  it  for  this  day,  I  expected  that 
this  would  be  the  last  Sabbath  I  should  ever  spead  with  this  people  ; 
and  that  consequently  I  should  not  subject  myself  to  the  charge  of 
pleading  my  own  cause,  by  attending  to  it.  Some  circumstances  have 
taken  place,  however,  from  whi'-h  I  have  concluded  not  to  leave  this 
people,  for  the  present.  But  I  do  not  consider  this  as  any  reason  why 
I  should  DO!  perform  my  duty.  Let  what  will,  be  said  or  thought,  of 
me  or  my  motives,  in  coi-feque  ce  of  H,  I  dare  not  disobey  the  com- 
mand of  God  to  declare  all  his  counsel ;  I  dare  not  negltct  to  call 
your  attention  to  this  subject,  and  to  endeavor  to  set  your  duty  clearly 
before  you.  I  have  selected,  therefore,  as  the  subject  of  our  present 
meditation,  that  portion  of  divine  truth  which  is  recorded  in  the  third 
chapter  of  the  prophet  Malachi,  at  the  eighth  verse. 
MALACHI  3.  8 

"  Will  a  man  rob  God?  y  t  ye  have  robbed  me.  But  ye  say,  where- 
in have  rvr  robbed  thee  ?  In  tithes  and  -.ffferings." 

It  will  be  recollected  by  all  who  are  conversant  with  their  bibles, 
that  the  tithes  were  the  stated  allowance,  set  apart  bj  the  authority  of 
God,  at  the  giving  of  the  law,  for  the  support  of  the  ministers  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  that  of  the  offering?,  a  great  part  also  was  devoted  ».o  the 
,same  purpose.  In  the  test,  God  charges  the  people,  in  the  days  of 
the  pr-;phe{,  wi'h  robbing  him.  \nd  when  the  people  pleaded  not 
guiit*  -o  'he  charge,  and  confidently  asked  "  wherein  have  we  robbed 
th<e?"  In  replied,  that  they  were  tuilty  of  robbing  him,  because  they 
lia.l  w"i!iel  i  thf  tithes  and  offerings.  The  doctrine,  then,  contained 
in  tlv  text,  is  tin;  following : 

When  a  prcplc  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  of 
religion,  tlwij  are  guilty  of  robbing  God. 

To  illustrate  this  doctrine,  and  prepare  it  for  our  improvement,  it 
is  proposed, 

I.  To'n<;iiire  what  is  a  suitable  support  for  the  ministers  of  religion, 

II.  To  show  when  a  people  may  be  said  to  withhold  it.     And 

III  To  show  that  when  a  peopl"  withhold  a  suitable  support  from 
the  ministers  of  religion,  they  are  tuilty  of  robbing  God. 

Firs',  '!i'-i,  we  aie  to  inquire  what  is  a  suitable  support  for  the  min- 
isters uf  religion.  And  in  order  to  assist  us  in  determining  this  ques- 
li n,  let  u  M'qui.-f.  whit  is  God's  opinion.  He  knows  better  than  we, 
and  has  no  selfish  interests  to  bias  his  mind  to  either  side  of  the  ques- 


lion.  God's  opinion  of  what  is  a  suitable  support  for  the  ministers  of 
religion,  is  expressed  in  the  provision  which  he  made  for  them  under 
the  old  dispensation. 

The  whole  tribe  of  Levi  were  set  apart,  by  the  command  of  God. 
ns  the  ministers  of  religion.  /Hit  of  this  tribe,  the  h<>iise  of  Aaron  were 
appointed  to  offer  sacrifices,  and  10  minister  in  hf  ly  thir-gs  at  the  altar. 
Some  of  their  brethren  of  the  other  families  if  LevUes  weie  aligned 
them  as  assistants  in  the^e  services.  But  those  not  immediately  en- 
gaged in  these  services,  resided  in  different  parts  of  the  couu'ry,  and 
flffiriated  as  public  instructors. 

The  provision  which  God  'bought  suitabk-  for  their  temporal  sup- 
port, will  be  seen  by  examining  a  few  passages  of  scripture.  Lev.  27. 
30,  32.  "  And  all  the  lithe  of  the  land,  whether  of  the  seed  of  the 
land,  or  of  the  liuit  of  the  tree,  is  the  Lord's  :  It  is  holy  unto  the  Lord. 
And  concerni'ig  <he  tithe  of  the  herd,  or  of  tht  flock,  even  ot  whatso- 
ever pa'seth  under  the  nxi,  the  tenth  shall  be  holy  unto  the  Lord." 
Num.  18.  21.  "  And  behold  I  have  given  the  children  of  Levi  all  the 
tenth  in  Israel,  for  an  inheritance,  for  their  service  which  they  serve, 
even  the  service  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation."  Thus  it  ap- 
pears, that  the  Levies  were  to  have  "  all  the  tenth  in  Israel"  for 
their  support.  The  tenth  of  the  fruits  of  the  field,  of  the  s»-ed  of  the 
land,  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  and  the  tenth  of  the  heid  and  of  the  flock, 
are  enumerated,  because  they  were  an  agricultural  and  pastoral  people. 
But  thos-e  who  puoued  other  occupations  were  undoubtedly  compre- 
hended in  this  law,  and  werr  9!  o  required  to  pay  the  tenth  of  the  pro- 
ceeds of  theii  labor,  or  of  their  occupation,  whatever  h  might  be. 
They  were  to  have  *'  all  the  tenth  in  Israel." 

Besides  this  tenth,  as  a  stated  salary,  they  were  also  furnished  with 
parsonages,  which  were  extensive  and  ample.  Num.  35.  1 — 3,  7. 
"  And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  Command  the  children  oi 
Israel,  that  they  give  unto  the  Levifes,  of  the  inheritance  of  their  pos- 
session, cities  to  dwell  in  ;  and  ye  sh.'ll  give  also  unto  the  Levies  sub- 
urbs for  th;.  cities  round  about  them.  And  the  cities  shall  they  have 
to  dwell  io;  and  the  .-ut>uibs  of  them  shall  be  for  their  cuttle,  and  for 
their  goods,  and  for  nil  t.'  <ii  blasts.  All  the  cities  which  je  shall  givt 
to  the  Levites  shall  be  fovfy  and  eight  cities :  them  shall  ye'  give  with 
their  suburbs."  ^  s  all  the  tithes  were  to  be  paid  in  kind,  and  the  Is 
raeh't.-s  were  a  nation  of  shepherds,  the  chief  property  of  the  Levitc- 
would  consist  in  his  flork?  hnd  berds.  The  suhuibs  were  to  be  Fuffi- 
for  these.  And  they  were  to  have  forty-ei^ht  citjV«.  in  a  c 


6 

tvhich  i?  less  in  extent  than  one  seventh  part  of  the  state  of  New- York. 
Thus  their  parsonages  were  very  ample. 

For  the  house  of  Aaron,  however,  still  further  provision  was  made. 
They  probably  had  more  arduous  services  to  perform  than  the  other 
Levites,  being  the  only  persons  authorized  to  officiate  at  the  altar. 
This  further  provision  was  made,  partly  at  the  expence  of  the  other 
Levites,  and  partly  at  the  expence  of  the  people  at  large.  The  ether 
Levites  were  required  to  tithe  their  tithe,  or  to  give  a  tenth  of  what 
they  received  from  the  people  at  large,  to  the  house  of  Aaron.  Num. 
18.  25 — 28.  "And  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  thus  speak 
unto  the  Levites,  and  say  unto  them,  when  ye  take  of  the  children  of 
Israel  thr  tithes,  which  I  have  given  you  from  them  for  your  inherit- 
ance, then  ye  shall  offer  up  an  heave  offering  of  it  for  the  Lord,  even 
a  tenth  part  of  the  tithe.  And  ye  shall  give  the  Lord's  heave  offering 
to  Aaron  the  priest."  Additional  provision  for  the  house  of  Aaron  was 
also  made  at  the  expence  of  the  people  at  large.  The  offerings  and 
sacrifices,  which  were  required  of  the  people  of  Israel,  were  very  nu- 
merous. Of  these,  the  priest  who  officiated  always  had  a  considerable 
share,  and  sometimes  almost  the  whole.  Deut.  18.  3,4.  "  And  this 
shall  be  the  priest's  due  from  the  people,  from  them  that  offer  a  sacri- 
fice, whether  it  be  ox  or  sheep :  and  they  shall  give  unto  the  priest  the 
shoulder,  and  the  two  cheeks,  and  the  maw.  The  first  fruit  also  of  thy 
corn,  of  thy  wine,  and  of  thine  oil,  and  the  first  of  the  fleece  of  thy 
«heep,  shall  thou  give  him."  Num  18.8 — 14.  "  And  the  Lord  spake 
unto  Aaron,  behold  I  have  given  thee  the  charge  of  mine  heave  offer- 
ings of  all  the  hallowed  things  of  the  children  of  Israel;  unto  thee  have 
T  given  theib,l>y  reason  of  the  anointing,  and  to  thy  sons,  by  an  ordi- 
nance for  ever.  This  shall  be  thine  of  the  most  holy  things  reserved 
from  the  fire  :  every  ob'ation  of  theirs,  every  meat  offering  of  theirs, 
and  every  sin  offering  of  theirs,  and  every  trespass  offering  of  theirs, 
which  they  shall  render  uuto  me,  shall  be  most  holy  for  thee,  and  for 
thy  sons.  In  the  most  holy  place  ehalt  thou  eat  it;  every  male  shall 
cat  it:  it  shall  be  holy  unlo  thee.  And  this  is  thine;  the  heave  offer- 
ing of  their  gift,  with  all  the  wave  offerings  of  the  children  of  Israel :  I 
Iiave  given  them  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  sons,  and  to  thy  daughters  with 
f.hee,  by  a  ststute  for  ever  ;  every  one  that  is  clean  in  thy  house  shall 
cat  of  it.  All  the  best  of  the  oil,  and  all  the  best  of  the  wine,  and  of 
fhe  wheat,  the  first  fruits  of  them,  which  they  shall  offer  unto  the  Lord, 
them  have  I  given  thee.  And  whatsoever  is  first  ripe  in  the  land, 
tvhich  they  shrl!  bring  uuto  the  Loixl,  shall  be  thine ;  every  one  that 


is  clean  In  thine  house  shall  eat  of  it.    Erery  thing  devoted  in  larafl 
shall  be  thine." 

Thus,  then,  we  pee,  that  God  gave  the  Levites  "  all  the  tenth  iu  Is- 
rael," as  a  stated  salary,  besides  an  ample  parsonage  to  every  one, 
And  to  the  bouse  of  Aaron  a  large  additional  provision. 

But  a  more  correct  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  provision  which  God 
made,  under  the  law,  for  the  ministers  of  religion,  will  be  obtained  by 
comparing  the  number  of  the  Levites  with  the  number  of  the  whole  pec* 
pie.  If  they  had  been  just  a  tenth  part  of  the  people,  their  salary,  be- 
ing "  all  the  tenth  in  Israel,"  would  have  been  just  an  equal  proportion 
of  all  the  earnings  of  the  nation.  That  is,  taking  all  other  men  at  an 
average,  they  would  have  been  made  exactly  equal  to  them,  by  their 
salary  alone,  and  would  have  had  their  parsonages  over  and  above  this 
equal  proportion,  tut  the  Levites  were  not  a  tenth  part  of  all  the  peo- 
ple. When  the  people  were  numbered,  in  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  soon 
after  they  came  out  of  Egypt,  (Num.  1.  45,  46,)  the  males  above  twen- 
ty years,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  in  the  other  tribes,  were  six  hun~ 
dred  and  ihrte  thousand.  Jive  hundred  and fyty.  Those  un«  er  twenty 
years,  and  tho^e  above  if  not  capable  of  bearing  arms,  were  not  num- 
bered ;  but  they  were  probably  nearly  as  many  more.  Bnt  supposing 
they  were  only  half  as  many  more,  this  would  make  all  the  males  nine 
"hundred  and  jive  thousand,  three  hundred  and  twenty-Jive.  AH  the 
males  among  the  Levites.,  from  a  month  old  and  upward,  were  num- 
bered at  the  same  time,  (Num.  3.  39,)  and  found  to  be  twenly-tmo 
thousand.  The  people  were  numbered  again,  forty  years  afterward^ 
and  the  proportion  was  nearly  the  same.  So  that,  instead  xJf  being  one 
te?  th  of  all  the  people,  the  Leviles  were  less  than  one  fortieth.  &.nd  the 
stated  salar>  of  the  Levite,  instead  of  barely  making  him  equal  with 
other  men,  upon  an  average,  makes  his  proportion  more  than/our  times- 
that  of  other  men  ! 

To  make  this  still  plainer,  let  us  suppose  these  nine  hundred  anJJivi 
thousand  men  to  earn  each  one  dollar  per  day.  on  an  average.  Each 
iriau  pays  of  this  ten  cents  to  the  Levites,  and  has  left  to  himself  ninety 
cents.  The  whole  sum  paid  to  the  Levites,  is  ninety  thousand.  Jive 
hundred  doi'ars  ;  which,  divided  by  twenty-two  thousand,  the  whole 
Dumber  of  Levites,  gives  each  Levite  four  dollars  and  eleven  cents  per 
day,  while  other  men  have  but  ninety  cents  each  per  day  !  And  bfr 
sides  this,  they  had  their  parsonages.  And  this  was  the  provision  made 
for  those  who->e  services  could  not  have  beeu  at  ail  arduous.  But  for 
the  house  of  Aaron,  a  far  greater  provision  was  made.  How  am 


ply,  then,  did  God  provide  for  his  ministers,  under  the  old 
tioo ! 

Shall  we  say  that  this  provision  was  too  much  ?  Shall  we  say  that 
the  revenues  of  the  ministers  of  religion  ought  not  to  be  four  times  as 
much  as  those  of  other  men?  Shall  we  say,  as  many  dot  ay,  in  so  many 
words,  and  more  by  their  practice,  that  so  far  from  having  more  than 
other  men,  they  ought  to  have  less  ?  that  a  bare  subsistence  is  enough 
for  them  while  those  around  them  possess  abundance?  It  appears  that 
God  has  thought  otherwise.  And  if  God  thought  that  a  suitable  provi- 
sion fur  them  was  four  times  as  much  as  for  other  men,  on  an  average, 
who  will  undertake  to  say  that  fiod  was  mistaken  ?  Thus,  we  have, 
from  'the  scriptures,  God's  opinion  of  what  is  a  suitable  provision  for 
the  ministers  of  religion.  He  knew  very  well  the  selfish  dispositions  of 
men,  and  that  if  it  was  left  to  them  to  determine  what  shoulu  be  given 
to  his  miuistei's,  they  would  be  left  to  starve.  He,  therefore,  did  not 
leave  anything  to  depend  upon  theb  discretion,  or  their  generosity, 
.but  pointed  out,  in  the  minutest  manner,  every  thing  that  be  required 
to  be  dune  for  them. 

It  will  pei haps  be  said,  that  all  this  was  under  the  old  dispensation, 
.and  that  God  has  not  thought  proper  that  hi.-  ministers  should  receive 
so  much  under  the  new.  But,  let  me  ask,  how  does  it  appear,  that  they 
ought  to  receive  less  now,  than  formerly  ?  Are  their  duties  any  less  ar- 
duous? No;  they  are  far  more  so.  Are  their  wants  fewer  now,  than 
they  were  under  the  old  dispensation  ?  No :  by  the  different  state  of 
society  they  are  greatly  increased.  Is  God  any  less  mindful  of  the 
necessities  of  his  servants  now,  than  formerly  ?  This  cannot  be  sup- 
posed. What  ground  is  there,  then,  to  suppose  that  God's  opinion,  or 
his  requirements  on  this  subject  are  «hanged  ?  Will  it  be  said,  that  he 
has  not,  in  the  new  testament,  expressly  required  that  his  ministers 
should  receive  "  all  the  tenth,"  and  that,  therefore,  it  is  no  longer  suit- 
.able  that  they  should  ?  But,  let  me  ask,  is  the  old  testament  abolished  ? 
Are  not  the  duties  enjoined  in  the  old  testament  as  much  binding  now 
a?  ever,  unless  they  have  been  expressly  abolished,  or  were  in  their 
own  nature  temporary  ?  But  the  duty  of  making  suitable  provision  for 
the  ministers  of  religion,  was  not  temporary  in  its  nature,  nor  has  it 
been  abolished.  Nor  is  it  any  where  hinted  in  the  new  testament  that 
the  proportion  they  foimerly  received  was  too  great,  or  that  they 
ought  to  receive  a  less  proportion  now.  Besides,  this  is  only  quoted 
to  show  what  was  once  God's  opinion  of  what  is  a  suitable  support  lot 
lais  ministers.  If.  however,  V  das  once  expressed  his  opinion,  and 


has  no  where  told  us  that  he  has  changed  it,  what  right  have  we  to  say 
h  does  not  ivmnin  the  same  ? 

But  if  it  should  be  granted,  that  the  stated  salary  of  the  ministers  of 
religion,  under  the  present  dispensation,  should  not  be  precisely  "  all 
the  tenth  "  as  it  was  under  the  law,  theo  it  may  be  necessary  to  take 
several  things  into  consideration,  in  order  to  determine  what  is  a  suita- 
ble support  for  the  ministers  of  refigion  now.  And  here,  it  may  be  ob> 
served, 

1.  That  the  ministers  of  retigton  should  have  it  in  their  power  to  be 
honest.     When  men  make  engngements,  it  is  a  species  of  dishonesty  not 
to  fulfil  thorn.     When  they  contract  debts,  it  is  a  species  of  dishonesty 
not  to  discharge  them  punctually.     Ministers  must  provide  for  their 
families.     In  doing  this,  they  must  make  engagements  and  contract 
debts.     And  their  support  ought  to  be  such,  as  to  enable  them  to  fulfil 
their  engagements  like  honest  men.     They  ought  not  to  be  compelled 
to  defraud  their  creditors,  nor  to  starvi-  their  families.    Will  it  be  said, 
that  they  should  preserve  their  character  as  honest  men,  by  not  con- 
tracting debts  beyond  their  means  of  punctual  payment  ?  It  is  very 
true.     But  since,  if  they  do  not  provide  for  their  own  house   they 
practically  deny  the  faith,  and  are  worse  than  infidels,  they  must  have 
the  means  of  doing  it.     They  must,  therefore,  have  a  certain  depend- 
ence, which  5s  adequate  to  supply  all  the  necessities  of  their  families, 
and  meet  all  their  engagements  with  punctuality 

2.  Ministers  ought  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  be  respectable.     A 
man  without  respectability,  is  without  influence.     Aud  u  roan  wnhout 
influence,  is  without  the  power  of  doing  gooiK     A  minister  must  be 
respectable.     Tint  It  is  well  known  that  a  man's  respectability,  in  the 
eyes  of  a  great  portion  of  the  community,  depends,  iu  a  great  measure, 
on  his  appearance.     He  may  be  houesi,  he  may  be  pious,  he  may  be 
learned,  he  may  be  faithful  in  hi-  ministerial  dut'us,  but  if  he  is  mean 
and  sordid  iu  his  appearance,  if  he  wears  the  marks  of  poverty  and 
want,  he  \vill  be  detpised.     Theso  things,  indet-d,  cugli*  not  ?o  to  be, 
but  these  things  are.  When  his  people  visit  his  house,  they  expect  to  be 
received  genteelly,  and  tobeentettained  with  the  best.    And  if  they  are 
not,  they  never  attribute  it  to  his  want  of  support,  but  to  his  want  of  res- 
pert  for  them,  or  to  his  want  of  economy,  or  what  is  still  worse  to  his 
covctoubncss.     If  a  minister,  on  hi?  journies,  is  obliged  by  his  poverty 
to  resort  to  those  means  of  avoiding  (xpeuce,  whim  oth-  r  men  do  not 

"  practice,  he  makes  himself  contemptible.     Those  who  witness  it.  m  vrr 
ascribe  it  to  the  true  cause,  but  to  a  mean  and  avaricious  ?puit,  which 

B 


to 

(hey  despise.  A  suitable  support,  therefore,  for  the  ministers  of  reli- 
gion, must  be  such  as  will  enable  them  in  all  things  to  maintain  their 
respectability,  upon  which  their  influence,  and  their  power  of  doing 
good  essentially  depend. 

3.  Ministers  tught  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  be  charitable  and 
public  spirited.     If  they  are  the  ministers  of  Jtsus,  they  plead  the 
cause  ef  the  poor  and  the  fatherless.     They  inculcate  the  duties  of 
charity  and  liberality.     They  expose  to  thfir  hearers  the  utter  incon- 
sistency of  a  close,  illiberal,  covetous  spirit,  with  the  profession  of 
Christianity.    But  of  what  avail  is  their  preaching,  iinless  they  preach 
fiy  example  ?  How  can  they  persuade  others  to  give  to  the  poor,  un- 
less they  give  to  the  poor  ?  How  can  they  persuade  others  to  be  libe- 
ral and  public  spirited,  unless  they  give  an  example  of  liberality  and 
public  spiritedness  ?     And  let  me  tell  you  that  if  you  will  pay  minis* 
iers  their  tithes,  they  will  gladly  tithe  their  tithe,  for  charitable,  reli- 
gious, and  public  purposes.     When  they  look  around  them,  they  see 
objects  enongh  which  call  for  their  contributions.     The  poor  need  to 
be  fed,  and  clothed,  and  their  children  educated.    The  sick  poor  need 
to  be  provided  with  something  comfortable.   Destitute  settlements  need 
to  be  provided  with  missionaries.     The  heathen  need  to  have  ihe  gos- 
pel sent  to  them.     Poor  and  pious  yonth  need  to  be  educated  for  the 
ministry.     Churches  need  to  be  built  and  seminaries  of  learniug  to  be 
supported.     Societies  for  the  distribution  of  bibles  and  of  religious 
tracts  need  to  be  furnished  with  funds.     The  minister  of  religion  ear- 
nestly desires  to  see  these  things  accomplished.     His  heart  is  open. 
And  if  he  had  the  means  in  his  hand,  they  would  go  cheerfully  and 
liberally  to  these  object?.     And  if  he  could  set  an  example,  he  could 
freefy  invite  o  hers  to  follow  it.    But  his  own  poverty  clcseb  his  hand 
and  stops  his  mouth. 

4.  Ministers  ought  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  make  improvement 
in  their  manner  of  discharging  the  duties  of  their  calling.     The  min- 
ister of  religion  should  be  a  scribe  well  instructed.     An  ignorant  min- 
istry is  contemptible  and  useless      In  this  age  of  philosophy  and  infi- 
delity, it  is  indispensible  that  the  ministers  of  religion  should  be  men  of 
science.     The  enemies  of  religion  are  frequently  men  of  learning  and 
abilities.    Some  of  the  most  active  and  subtle  of  them  are  men  of  great 
attainments  in  human  knowledge.     And  their  most  powerful  attacks 
upon  our  religion,  we  supported  by  pretended  facts  in  history  or  phi- 
losophy.    The  ministers  of  religion  ought  to  be  qualified  to  defend  it 
against  all  attacks.     The  history  of  the  world,  therefore,  both  ancient 


11 

and  modern,  and  the  philosophy  of  nature,  ought  to  be  familiar  to  them. 
An  accurate  knowledge  of  the  scriptures  is  iudispcnsible  in  those 
whose  office  it  is  to  explain  them.  Eut  this  is  a  work  of  great  labor. 
To  understand  them  thoroughly,  it  is  necessary  to  read  them  in  the 
inspired  originals,  an.  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the  geigrapln  ,  his- 
tory, chronology,  manners,  customs,  opinions,  transactions  and  cvcnte, 
of  all  the  countries  and  nations  then:  spoken  of,  that  is,  of  tie  whole 
wold.  It  is  necessary  also,  ihat  the  minister  of  religion  should  have 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  be  well  acquainted  with 
the  world,  understand  the  nature  of  the  human  naiad  and  its  operations, 
be  acquainted  with  tbe  systems  of  logic,  rhetoric  and  metaphysics, 
and  be  wf  11  versed  in  the  writings  of  every  description  of  men,  upcm 
every  subject,  To  do  all  this,  he  must  have  time,  and  he  must  have 
books.  His  -upport,  therefore,  ou«,ht  to  be  such,  that  he  may  furnish 
himself  with  an  extensive  library  of  the  best  books  upon  every  sub- 
ject, and  have  '.ime  to  cievote  tc  them.  Our  people  expect  all  thi^ 
knowledge  in  a  minister,  and  they  expect  he  will  coi.tiime  to  giow  iu 
knowledge,  and  make  rapid  improvement  iu  ev.'  ry  thing  conr.ectrd 
with  the  duties  of  his  calling.  And  they  expn  t  it  jus  at-  much  lit 
those  who  are  not  furnished  with  the  means,  a^  in  thote  who  arc.  Ev- 
ery one  exclaims  at  the  cruelty  and  injustice  of  the  Egyptian  task- 
masters, who  required  the  Israelites  to  make  brick  without  furnishing 
them  with  the  necessary  straw.  -But  our  people  arc  more  unrcns-  na- 
ble  thai!  the  Egyptian  task-masters.  They,  indeed,  withheld  the  straw. 
but  .hey  allowed  tru>  same  lime  as  before,  for  the  work  to  be  done. 
Bat  our  people  rcquir  us  lo  make  great  improvements,  not  only  with- 
out funmhuig  us  with  the  necessary  books,  but  without  any  time  to 
stu«!y  the  few  we  may  ha\e. 

5.  Ministers  ought  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  educate  their  chil- 
dren. If  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  good  men,  and  faithful  in  their 
own  house,  they  will  train  up  their  children  in  the  nurture  and  admo- 
nition of  the  Lord.  They  will  iostil  into  iheir  mind-  correct  princi- 
ples, and  form  them  to  virtuous  habits.  But  religious  instruction, 
though  essensial.  is  not  all  that  is  necessary  to  qualify  them  for  use- 
fulness in  tbe  world.  They  need  other  instruction,  in  common  with 
other  children.  A  minister  of  the  gospel  is  not  destitute  cf  the  feel- 
ings of  nature,  any  more  thao  other  men.  And  he  will  feel  as  anx- 
ious as  other  parents  do,  to  give  his  children  surh  an  education  as 
will  be  most  likf  ly  to  promote  their  happness  and  respectability  in  the 
world.  A  minister  of  the  sospel  oucht  to  be  benevolent,  lie.  onght 


to  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the  happiness  of  the  community.  He  ought, 
therefore,  to  give  his  children  such  an  education  as  will  prepare  them 
to  be  raoat  useful  to  society.  But,  to  do  this,  is  attended  with  uo  in~ 
considerable  expence.  He  ought,  therefore,  to  receive  such  a  sup- 
port, as  will  enable  him  to  do  this  in  a  suitable  manner. 

6.  Ministers  ought  to  have  it  in  their  power  to  make  some  provision 
for  their  families,  in  case  they  should  be  taken  away  by  death.  Min- 
isters of  the  gospel,  more  frequently  perhaps  than  the  men  of  any  oth- 
er profession,  wear  themselves  out  early,  and  are  taken  away  in  the 
middle  of  life,  leaving  a  helpless  widow,  and  a  number  of  fatherless 
children,  in  the  most  destitute  and  indigent  circumstances.  This  is  a 
common  case.  And  how  must  the  minister  of  the  gospel  feel,  when  he 
contemplates  it  ?  How  must  he  feel,  when  he  looks  upon  hi;,  family 
around  him,  and  reflects  that  the  continuance  of  his  life  is  their  only 
earthly  dependence?  How  must  it  embitter  his  departing  moments, 
•when;  upon  the  bed  of  death,  he  looks  around  him  with  all  the  feelings 
of  the  husbond  and  the  father,  and  knows  that  he  is  leaving  those  who 
arc  df  arest  to  him  to  beggaiy  and  wretchedness! — Is  this  the  reward 
due  to  his  faithful  labors  ?  Is  this  the  return  made  by  a  grateful  peo- 
ple, for  all  his  unwearied  attention  to  their  best  interests?  Is  this  the 
certain  prospect  he  has  before  him,  when  wearing  out  his  life  in  their 
service  ?  These  things  ought  not  so  to  be.  A  suitable  support  would 
make  provision  against  the  possibility  of  such  an  event. 

Thus,  we  see,  that  a  suitable  support  for  the  ministers  of  religion, 
must  be  one  that  will  enable  them  to  be  honest — to  be  respectable — to 
set  an  example  of  charity  and  liberality— to  provide  themselves  with 
the  moans  of  improvement — to  educate  their  children- — and  to  make 
Rome  piovisiou  for  their  widows  and  orphans,  when  they  leave  the 
world. 

We  come  now,  as  was  proposed, 

II.  To  show  when  a  people  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable 
support  from  the  ministers  of  religion. 

And  1.  A  state  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from 
tiic  ministers  of  religion,  when  it  makes  no  provision  by  law  for  them. 
The  support  of  religious  institutions  is  essential  to  the  prosperity  of  the 
state.  As  guardians  of  the  public  welfare,  the  civil  rulers  are  bound 
to  see  that  they  are  supported.  The  most  equitabl*  method  for  doing 
this,  is  to  pass  a  law,  which  shall  oblige  every  man  to  pay  his  equal 
proportion,  according  to  his  property,  for  the  support  of  the  ministers 
of  religion;  giving  no  preference,  however,  to  one  detumiinatioD  above 


IS 

another,  and  allowing  every  man  to  pay  to  the  minister  of  his  own 
sect.  But  when  a  state  do  iiot  make  such  provision,  when  they  do 
not  oblige  men  lo  pay  any  thing  for  the  support  of  such  institutions, 
and  when  they  even  neglect  to  render  a  contract  between  a  minister 
and  his  people  of  any  validity,  and  put  it  out  of  his  power  to  compel 
the  fulfilment  of  it,  that  state  may  be  ju&tly  said  to  withhold  a  suitable 
support  from  the  ministers  of  religion. 

2.  A  congregation  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from 
the  minister  of  religion,  when  they  do  not  make  any  permanent  pro- 
vision for  it,  upon  which  he  can  depend  ;  when  they  invite  a  minister 
to  settle  with  them,  and  expect  him  to  depend,  for  his  support,  upou 
contributions  to  be  made  from  time  to  time,  upon  temporary  subscrip- 
tions, or  collections.  Nothing  is  more  unreasonable,  than  to  require, 
stated  services  without  a  staled  compensation.  Nothing  is  more  un- 
reasonable than  for  a  people  to  expect  a  minister  will  give  his  whole 
time  to  them,  and  yet  depend  upon  their  good  will  and  pleasure,  from 
time  to  time,  whether  he  has  any  thing  to  live  upon  or  not.  And  yet 
there  are  many  people,  who  refuse  lo  do  any  thing  to  support  the  min- 
isters of  religion,  in  any  other  way  than  this.  It  is  a  maxim  with  them 
that  minister?  must  be  kept  down.  They  mus'  be  made  to  feel  their 
dependence.  They  must  be  made  continually  sensible,  that  it  de- 
pends entirely  upon  their  pleasing  their  people,  whether  they  live  or 
starve.  Such  men  say,  if  ministers  have  a  certain  support,  the>  will 
become  too  proud  and  insolent,  which  means,  that  if  they  are  not  made 
to  dread  the  displeasure  of  such  men,  the)  will  be  tor.  pointed  in  their 
preaching,  a»;d  too  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  of- 
fice. I  have  heard  men  express  themselves  in  this  manner,  and  J  do 
not  think  it  is  [infrequent.  "When  a  minister  has  no  fix-d  salary  it  is 
impossible  lit-  should  know  how  to  make  his  calculations.  It  is  im- 
possible that  he  should  kuow  how  to  live,  in  order  to  keep  within  hia 
iocome  unless  he  knows  what  that  income  will  be.  But  if  he  depends 
upon  the  voluntary  contributions  of  people,  from  '.iroe  to  time,  he  will 
lean  upon  a  broken  reed.  When  a  people,  therefore,  will  not  engage 
their  minister  a  fixed  palary,  large  enough  to  make  a  suitable  provi- 
sion for  him,  they  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  provision.  And 
when  individuals  will  not  engage  to  pay  a  stipulated  sum,  th^y  may 
be  said  also  to  withhold  from  the  minister  of  religion  a  suitable  sup- 
port. It  will  come  to  the  same  thing  also,  when  a  congregation,  or 
•when  individuals,  promise  a  certain  sum,  but  will  not  come  into  such 
engagements  with  their  minister,  that  he  cau  depsnd  up^u  it  with 


14 

taiaty ;  they  refuse  to  bind  themselves  in  such  a  manner  that  he  can 
collect  it  by  law.  They  promise,  indeed,  but  the  fulfilment  of  their 
promise  is  left  to  depend  upon  contingencies,  vhich  may  or  may  not 
happen.  So  that  the  minister  may  receive  his  promised  salary,  or  he 
may  not.  If  he  is  wise,  he  will  not  trut;t  much  to  such  promises.  When 
people  refuse  io  bind  themselves  to  fulfil  'heir  engagements,  he  will 
have  reason  to  fear  that  some,  at  least,  will  fail.  When  the  acting  a- 
gf-nts  of  a  society  promise  a  certain  salary,  and  then  neglect  to  prov  de 
for  the  fulfilment  of  that  promise,  the  effect  is  the  same.  A  suitable 
support  is  withhi  Id. 

3.  Individuals  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the 
ministers  of  religion,  when  they  refuse  to  contribute  their  equal  pro- 
portion, according  to  their  property    lor  that  pin  pose      If  the  civil 
authority  have  not  made  ar;y  law  which  requires  this,  it  i*  "ot  1  ss 
certain  that  it  is  required  by  the  law  of  God.     Under  the  old  dis- 
peot.iitlon,  every  man  was  required  to  pay  the  tenth  of  what  hf  had, 
be  it  more  or  less.    And  under  the  new  dispensation,  the  apostle,  iu 
requiring  the  Corinihians  to  c  ntribute  for  a  r<  ligious  purpose,  taught 
that  there  ought  to  be  an  equality.     "For  I  mean  not,  (hays  he,)  that 
other  me    be  eased,  and  you  burdened.     But — tha*  there  may  be  an 
equality."  Although  persons  may  pay  something,  and  more  than  many 
others  do,  yet  if  they  do  not  pay  their  equal  proportion,  according  to 
their  property,  of  what  would  be  a  suitable  support,  for  a  suitable  num- 
ber of  ministers,  they  may  be  justly  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  sup- 
port from  the  ministers  of  religion. 

4.  People  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  min- 
isters of  n  Jigioii,  when  they  make  engagements,  but  never  fulfil  ihem. 
This  Is  so  plain,  that  it  needs  no  illustration,  but  it  is  so  frequent  that 
it  calls  for  serious  consideration.     It  is  a  common  case,  that  people 
make  engagements  with  ministers,  and  never  fulfil  them.     We  have 
heard  of  societies  which  have  had  a  minister  settled  with  them  for 
twelve  or  fourteen  years,  and  never  made  a  settlement  with  him  in  all 
that  time.     And  this,  al<  hough  they  had  bound  themselves  by  the  most 
solemi1  engagements,  to  par  his  small  pittance  with  punctuality.     And 
at  the  end  of  that  period,  when  he  was  compelled  to  leave  them,  he 
was  slill  unpaid;  and  never  was  paid  the  full  amount  of  his  stipulated 
salary.     When  a  people  conduct  in  this  manner,  they  are  certainly 
guilty  of  withholding  a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  of  religion. 

5.  People  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  min* 
isters  of  religion,  when-  they  promise  a  sufficient  support,  and  intend  to 


M 

pay  what  they  promise,  at  some  time,  when  it  suits  their  convenience, 
but  do  not  pay  it  punctually.  Although  all  that  was  promised  should 
be  ultimately  paid,  yet  much  of  it*  value  is  lost,  lor  want  of  punctu- 
ality. If  a  minister  is  paid  punctually,  he  can  fulfil  his  engagements. 
keep  up  his  credit,  and  always  be  able  to  obtain  a  supply  of  necessa- 
ries for  his  family.  But  if  he  is  not  paid  punctually,  he  cannot  meet 
his  engagements  which  have  been  made  in  oepeudence  upon  it,  he  loses 
his  credit,  and  puts  it  out  of  his  power,  another  time,  to  obtain,  without 
prompt  pay,  the  necessaries  of  life.  When  people  delay  the  payment 
of  their  subscriptio; ,  after  it  becomes  due,  and  then  neglect  to  pay 
the  interest  on  it,  (and  the  interest  is  very  seldom  a  compensation  for 
such  delay) ;  and  especially,  when,  by  this  delay,  they  compel  their 
minister  to  pv.y  interest  on  au  equal  <-.um,  which  is  a  common  case,  they 
may  be  jn>tly  said  to  withhold  from  him  that  which  is  his  due,  they 
are  giu'lty  of  withholding  a  suitable  support  from  the  minister  of  reli. 
gion. 

6.  A  people  may  be  said  to  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the 
minister  of  leligion,  when  they  do  not  increase  the  nominal  amount  ot 
his  stipulated  salary,  uj.on  a  decrease  of  its  value  That  sum  of  money 
•which  at  one  time  might  be  a  sufficient  support,  may  at  another  time  be 
very  inadequate.  The  necessaries  of  life  are  often  changing  in  price. 
A  minister  may  be  settled  when  the  price  of  wheat  is  one  dollar  per 
bushel,  and  other  things  in  proportion.  The  salary  promised  may 
then  be  an  a«'l equate  support.  Afterwards  the  price  of  wheat  becomes 
two  dollars  per  bushel,  and  other  things  accordingly.  It  is  easy  to 
see  that  his  salary  has  lost  one  half  of  its  value,  and  must  be  doubled 
in  amount,  in  order  to  be  equal  to  what  it  was  at  first.  But  when  u 
people  do  not  increase  the  amount,  in  exact  proportion  to  the  decrease 
of  value,  when  the  necessaries  of  life  are  doubled  and  trebled  in  price, 
and  they  lefuse  to  add  accordingly  to  the  stipulated  salary,  they  may 
be  justly  said  to  withhold  from  their  minister  a  suitable  support. 

Wr  come  now,  as  was  proposed, 

III.  To  sluw,  that  when  a  people  withhold  a  suitable  support  from 
the  ministers  of  religion,  they  are  guilty  of  robbing  God. 

And  1.  God  required  the  tithes,  under  the  law,  as  his  due,  from  the 
people.  Lev.  27.  30,  32.  "  And  all  the  tithe  of  the  land  whether  ot' 
the  seed  of  the  land,  or  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree,  in  the  Lord's  :  it  is  boh/ 
nntc  the  Lord.  At-d  concerning  the  tithe  of  the  herd,  or  of  the  flock, 
even  of  whatsoever  passeth  under  the  r'd,  the  tenth  shall  be  holy  •  nlo 
the  Lord"  The  tithes,  theirfore.  were  God's  Ate.  -And  to  \fithhoM 


M 

them,  Avasto  withhold  them  from  God,  it  was  to  rob  God  of  his  right 
God  gave  the  tithes  to  the  Levites,  as  their  wages,  for  the  service 
which  they  rendered  *o  him.  Num.  18,  21-  "  And  behold,  /  have 
given  the  children  of  Levi  all  the  tenth  in  Israel,  for  an  inheritance,  ^/'or 
their  service  which  they  serve,  even  the  service  of  the  tabernacle  of 
the  congregation."  When  the  Levites  received  them,  they  received 
them  as  from  God,  and  not  as  from  the  people.  W  hen  the  people  paid 
them,  they  paid  them  to  God.  And  when  they  withheld  them,  they 
•withheld  them  from  God.  When  they  withheld  th*m  therefore,  they 
withheld  that  which  was  God's  due,  they  were  guilty  of  robbing  God. 

2.  By  the  change  of  dispensation,  there  has  been  no  change  in  the 
nature  of  these  things.  If  there  had  been,  the  new  testament  \vculd 
have  informed  us.  But  we  find  there,  no  hint  of  any  such  change. 
What  is  paid  now,  therefore,  for  the  support  of  religious  institutions, 
is  as  much  paid  to  God,  as  it  ever  was.  And  the  ministers  of  religion 
receive  their  support  now,  as  wages  from  God,  for  the  service  which 
they  render  to  him,  as  much  as  they  ever  did.  When  people  withhold 
it  now,  they  withhold  it  from  God,  as  much  as  they  ever  did.  And 
when  they  withhold  from  God  that  which  is  his  due,  they  are  guilty  of 
robbing  God. 

But  3.  If  it  should  be  said  that  the  nature  of  these  things  i.y  changed, 
under  the  new  dispensation,  although  there  is  no  proof  of  such  a  change, 
still  it  can  be  shown,  that  when  a  people  withhold  a  suitable  support 
from  the  ministers  'of  religion,  they  are  guilty  of  robbing  God.  For  it 
is  easy  to  prove  that  ministers  are  entitled  to  their  support,  and  thaf 
not  as  a  gift  fr jm  their  people,  as  some  would  have  it,  for  which  ihey 
ought  to  feel  under  very  great  obligations,  but  as  rvapcp,  properly 
speaking,  as  hire  for  the  services  they  render.  When  our  Lord  sent 
forth  his  disciples  to  preach,  he  said  to  them,  Mat.  10.  9,  "  Provide 
neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  brass,  iu  your  purses,  nor  scrip  for  your 
journey,  neither  two  coats,  neither  shoes,  nor  yet  staves  ,  lor  the  work, 
man  is  worthy  of  his  meat."  In  Luke  10.  7,  it  is,  "  For  the  laborer 
i«  worthy  of  his  hire."  Here,  our  Lord  taught,  that  they  wfre  entitled 
to  receive  a  sufficient  supply  of  all  the  comforts  of  life,  as  hire  for  the 
service  they  rendered,  in  the  same  sense  that  other  workmen  are  enti- 
tled to  receive  wages  for  their  labor;  that  it  was  as  much  a  debt  due  to 
them,  as  the  wages  of  other  workmen  are  a  dfi>t  due  to  them.  The 
same  truth  is  taught  also  by  the  apostle.  '  Cor.  9.  7 — 14.  ""Who 
goeth  a  warfare  any  time  at  his  own  charges  ?  Who  pi  ante  h  a  vine- 
yard, and  rateth  not  of  the  fruit  thereof?  Or  who  feedeth  a  flock,  and 


17 

eateth  not  of  the  milk  of  the  flock  ?  Say  I  these  things  as  a  man  ?  or 
saith  not  -he  law  the  same  also?  For  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
Thou  shall  not  muzzle  the  mouth  of  the  ox  that  treadeih  out  the  corn. 
Doth  God  take  care  for  oxen  ?  Or  saith  he  it  altogether  for  our  sakes  ? 
For  our  sakes,  no  doubt,  this  is  written  :  that  he  that  ploweih,  should 
plow  in  hope ;  and  that  he  that  thrasheth  u,  hope  should  be  partaker 
of  his  hope.  If  we  have  sown  unto  jou  spiritual  things,  Is  it  a  great 
thi.  g  if  we  shall  reap  > our  carnal  things  ?  Do  ye  not  know,  that  they 
which  minister  about  holy  things  live  of  'he  things  of  the  temple?  and 
they  which  wait  at  the  altar  are  partakers  with  the  altar?  Even  .->o  hftth 
the  Lord  ordained  that  iJuy  which  preach  the  gospc  should  live  of  the 
gospei-."  The  apostle,  it  is  (rue,  did  sometimes  wa>e  his  right  to  re- 
ceive a  temporal  supporj.  from  the  people  to  whom  jic  p  cached.  There 
were  occa  ious  it.  which  i  was  expedient  for  him  to.do  so.  But  he 
always  insisted  that  it  was  his  right,  his  juot  due.  as  wages  for  the  ser- 
vice he  rendered.  On  one  occasion  of  this  ki.  d,  he  .says,  2  Cor.  11.8, 
"  I  robbed  other  churches,  taking  wages  of  them,  lo  do  you  service."' 
To  the  Galatiar.s,  he  says,  chap.  6.  6,  "  Let  him  that  is  tau««hf  in  the 
word,  communicate  unto  him  that  teacheth,  in  all  good  luings."  This 
looks  like  an  injunction  to  pay  the  tithe  of  ever)  thing  i,,  its  kind,  as 
was  the  commandment  of  the  law.  To  Timothy,  IK.  <-,<><,  1  'lim.  5. 
17,  "  Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted  worthy  ot  double  honor, 
especially  they  who  labor  in  the  word  and  doctrine."  What  this  -'don 
ble  honor"  was,  appears  from  the  next  verse,  •'  For  die  scripture  &aith, 
thou  shall  not  muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn.  And,  the  la- 
borer is  worthy  of  hi •;  reward."  This  "  double  honor,"  was  a  double 
portion  of  the  good  things  of  this  life,  as  a  reward  due  for  their  laiih- 
{'til  services. 

Thus,  it  appears,  that  in  the  new  testament,  we  are  plainly  tauj;h!. 
that  the  ministers  of  religion  are  entitled  to  a  sufficient  support  t\cn» 
their  people,  as  hire,  as  n-r.gca.  as  a  reward,  which  us  Hue  to  them  fot 
their  services,  as  much  as  to  any  other  laborer  for  his  services. 
when  we  employ  a  man  to  reap  our  fields,  and  keep  back  iiib  wages,  it 
is  defrauding  him  of  his  right,  it  is  robbery.  So,  when  a  people  keep 
back  the  wages  of  a  minister  cf  religion,  it  is  defrauding  him  of  his  ri_ht, 
it  is  robbery.  But  Christ  considers  what  is  done  to  his  ministers,  as 
done  to  him.  And  what  is  doue  to  him,  is  done  to  God.  Christ  says 
to  his  ministers,  Mat.  10.  -10.  "  He  that  reccivtth  you,  leceiveth  mo; 
and  he  that  receiveth  me,  receivetii  him  that  sent  me."  And  Luke  10. 
16,  "  He  that  heareth  you,  i;. 

C 


18 

dcspiseth  me  ,•  antl  he  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  him  that  sent  me.5" 
And  iii  the  great  day,  he  will  say,  as  he  informs  us,  Mat.  25.  40.  "  Ye- 
vily  I  say  unto  you,  in  as  much  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the 
least  of  these  my  bre'.hren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me."  To  rob  the 
ministers  of  Christ,  therefore,  by  withholding  the  wages  due  for  their 
services,  is  to  rob  Christ,  it  is  to  rob  God. 

4.  Withholding  a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  of  religion,  is 
robbing  God,  because  it  robs  God  of  their  service:-.  Ministers  must 
live.  Their  families  must  have  bread.  Wh«j  a  suitable  support  is 
withheld,  they  are  driven  to  the  labors  of  the  fiel^  or  to  (•ome  other 
secular  employment,  in  order  to  procure  necessaries  for  their  lamil.es. 
And  ;hus,  much  of  their  lime,  which  ou^ht  to  be  devoted  to  the  service 
of  God,  in  the  duues  of  their  calling,  is  consumed  in  other  avocations. 
Ministers  are  expected  by  their  people  to  spend  their  whole  time  in  the 
duties  of  their  sacred  calling  whether  they  are  supported  or  not.  They 
ave  expected  always  to  preach  well  studied,  instructive,  and  profiiaMe 
discourses,  whether  they  have  any  time  to  study  or  not.  And  they 
are  expected  to  spend  a  great  part  of  their  time  in  visiting  their  peo- 
ple whether  they  have  any  time  to  spare  for  that  purpose  or  not.  Cod 
is  entitled  to  their  whole  time,  but  he  is  robbed  of  much  of  it,  when 
people  withhold  from  ministers  their  wages.  And  when  people  keep 
hack  the  wages  of  the  minister,  they  cause  those  services  which  he 
does  render,  to  be  very  imperfect.  They  compel  him  to  serve  God 
with  the  lame  and  the  blind.  When  ministers  are  not  furnished  with 
books,  and  when  they  are  compelled  to  resort  to  some  other  employ- 
ment to  support  their  families,  theii  discourses  are  unstudied,  and  of 
course,  they  are  crude,  undigested  performances,  totally  unfit  for  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary.  It  is  true  that  some  preachers  say  they  have 
no  need  to  study.  Their  discourses  are  the  effect  of  immediate  inspi- 
ration. But  ministers  in  general  are  not  favored  with  these  miraculous 
jpfts,  and  they  do  not  wish  to  impose  their  crude,  imperfect  perform- 
ances upon  people,  as  the  effusions  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  think 
the  oil  for  the  sanctuary  should  be  well  beaten,  before  it  is  brought  in 
for  use.  And  to  serve  God  with  the  lame  and  the  blind,  they  think  is 
very  unsuitable,  and  is  robbing  him  of  that  which  is  his  due.  And 
liow  few  ministers  are  there,  iu  comparison  with  what  there  might  be* 
if  people  would  pay  their  tithes.  How  many  places  are  destitute  of 
ministers,  which  might  support  them  with  perfect  ease.  How  many  peo- 
ple never  hear  the  sound  of  the  gospel  at  all,  to  whom  it  would  bo 
preached,  if  every  man  paid  his  just  proportion  of  their  wages.  When 


19 

young  men,  who  are  qualified  for  the  ministry,  behold 'the  numerous 
discouragements  which  attend  it,  when  they  see  the  miserable  mauner 
ir,  which  ministers  are  supported,  how  strong;  an  inducement  must  it  be 
to  engage  in  some  other  profession.    When  they  see  before  them,  in  the 
other  professions,  a  prospect  of  mure  than  a  comfortable  support,  and 
in  this,  the  certain  prospect  of  poverty  and  want,  bow  exceedingly  apt 
will  they  be  to  consider  it  as  an  indication  of  divine  providence  that 
they  ought  not  to  enter  the  sacred  profession.     When  those  who  have 
entered  the  ministry,  have  seen  and  felt,  by  their  own  sad  experience, 
tlie  selfishness  and  the  penuriousness  of  most  people,  with  respect   to 
ministerial  support ;  when  they  have  seen  with   how  great  difficulty 
men  are  induced  to  subscribe,  not  the  tenth,  but  the  hundredth  or  the 
theusandth  part  of  their  income,  and  thick  their  minister  ought  to  feel 
under  veiy  great  obligations  to  them  for  that ;  and  whefl  hey  have  seeu 
the  extreme  tardiness  with  which  that  miserable  pittance  is  paid,  and 
the  vast  return  of  gratitude  which  these  people  expect,  when  they  pay 
the  tenth  or  the  hundredth  part  of  what  i-  justly  due  ;  when  they  have 
been  compelled  to  see  and  feel  these  tilings,  how  strong  will  be  their  in- 
ducements to  relinquish  the  ministry  altogether.     When  they  look  a- 
round  upon  their  helpless  families,  how  do  all  the  feelii  g*  cf  the  hus- 
band and  the  father  plead  with  them  to  abandon  a  profession  which 
promises  them  nothing  but  beggary  and  wretchedness  ! — But  if  every 
man  paid  h:s  just  proportion,  according  to  what,  in  theopinioo  of  God, 
as  expressed  in  the  law,  it  is  suitable  for  him  to  pay,  the  number  of 
ministers  would  be  greatly  increased.     They  wuiild  be  enabled  to  give 
themselves  entirely  to  the  duties  of  their  sacred  function  ;  the  word  of 
God  might  be  faithfully  and  ably  preached,  in  the  hearing  of  every 
man,  songs  «'f  praise  and  thanksgiving  wculd  ascend  to  God.  from  places 
which  now  resound   with  curses  arid  blasphemies,  multitudes  would  be 
tunic.1  from  darkness  to  Ii;'ht,  and  God  would  be  honored  and  served 
by  million?,  who  are  now  the  willing  slaves  of  sin  and  Satan!     When 
God.  therefore,  is  deprived  of  all  this  glory,  by  withholding  from  the 
ministers  of  :eli-.-ion  that  support  which  is  their  just  due,  it  is  not  only 
robbery  of  them,  but  it  is  robbery  of  God. 

But  5.  That  when  a  people  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the 
ministers  of  religion,  they  are  guilty  of  robbing  God,  is  the  express  dec- 
laration of  the  text.  "  Will  a  mnn  rob  God  ?  Yet  ye  have  ivbbed  me. 
But  ye  say,  wherein  have  we  robbed  thce  ?  In  tithes-  and  offerings." 
Tl:<:  people  kept  back  their  tithes.  They  probably  thought  it  was  too 
much,  to  give  the  Levites  "all  the  tenth  io  Israel."  They  could  not 


afford  to  pay  so  much.  Their  own  families  needed  it.  To  give  the 
Jjcvites  four  times  as  much  as  was  left  for  any  other  man,  upon  an  av- 
erage wat  quite  unreasonable  and  extravagant.  I  et  them  live  upon 
their  parsonages,  and  labor  for  their  support,  like  other  men.  In  this 
mm::  er,  hey  probably  reasoned,  and  so  kept  back  the  tithes.  And 
•whai  God  called  them  to  account,  and  charged  them  with  robbing  him, 
th.-j  boldly  denied  the  charge,  and  said,  with  confidence,  '  Wherein 
have  wr  robbed  thee  ?"  God  replies,  "  In  tithes  and  offerings."  That 
is,  Yc  have  kept  back  from  my  ministers  that  proportion  of  your  earn- 
ings which  I  commanded  to  be  given  them,  and  therefore,  ye  have 
robbed  me. 

What  remains  is  the 

IMPROVEMENT. 

And  1 .  If  the  doctrine  we  have  supported  is  true,  then,  when  peo- 
ple withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  of  religion,  with  a 
view  of  increasing  their  own  property  by  so  doing,  they  will  probably 
be  disappointed.  They  rob  God.  And  if  men  think  to  be  gainers  by 
robbing  God,  they  will  be  disappointed.  They  may  rob  their  neigh- 
bors, and  prosper.  But  to  rob  God,  is  a  crime  of  a  very  different  na- 
ture. It  is  to  commit  sacrilege.  It  is  a  crime  which  calls  for  the  pe- 
culiar indignation  of  heaven.  The  hope  of  increasing  their  own  pro- 
perty, by  adding  to  it  what  they  withhold  from  the  ministers  of  religion, 
is  undoubtedly  the  principal  motive,  if  it  is  not  the  only  motive,  which 
influences  people  to  withhold  from  them  a  suitable  support.  They 
think  they  cannot  afford  to  pay  so  much,  merely  to  support  the  gospel. 
They  wish  to  increase  their  own  property,  by  every  means  in  their 
power,  and  so  they  refuse  to  pay.  But  when  people  think  to  increase 
their  property  in  this  way,  they  will  probably  find  they  have  made  a 
great  mistake.  The  JCAVS  tried  it,  but  they  were  disappointed.  They 
withheld  the  tithes  and  offerings,  that  they  might  add  them  to  their  own 
stores.  They  robbed  God,  to  make  themselves  rich.  But  it  did  not 
answer  their  expectations.  God  says,  in  the  text,  "  Will  a  man  rob 
Ood  ?  Yet  ye  have  robbed  me.  But  i  e  say,  wherein  have  we  robbed 
thee :'  In  tithes  and  offerings."  And  in  the  verse  succeeding  the  text, 
h"  -ays,  "  Ye  are  cursed  with  a  cuvse :  for  ye  have  robbed  me,  even 
this  wrHe  nation."  They  were  cursed  with  a  curse ;  and  it  was  for 
-,-oH,:  r  r,od,  by  withholding  a  suitable  support  from  his  ministers. 
They  robbed  him  also,  by  neglecting  to  build  his  temple,  and  provide, 
in  a  suitable  manner,  for  his  worship.  And  he  says  to  them,  by  the 
prophet  Ilageai,  (ch.  },  5 — 1I,&2.  15—17.)  "Now,  therefore,  coifc. 


21 

>idcr  your  ways.  Ye  have  sown  much,  and  bring  ia  liule  ;  ye  «at, 
but  ye  have  not  enough;  ye  drink,  but  vr»are  uot  filled  \\\'-\*  .Innk; 
ye  clothe  you,  but  there  is  none  warm  ;  and  he  that  earneth  wages, 
eaH.-eih  wages  to  put  it  into  H  bag  wiih  holes.  Ye  looked  for  much, 
and  lo,  it  came  to  little ;  and  when  ye  brought  it  home,  I  did  'blow 
upon  it.  Why  ?  sahh  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Because  of  mine  house:  that 
is  waste,  and,  ye  run  every  man  uolo  his  own  house.  Therefoi«  the 
heaven  over  ycu  is  stayed  from  dew,  and  the  earth  is  stayed  from  her 
fruit.  Aud  I  called  for  ft  drought  upon  the  laud,  and  upon  the  moun- 
tains, and  upon  the  corn,  and  upon  die  new  wine,  and  upon  the  oil,  and 
upon  that  which  the  ground  bringeth  forth,  and  upon  men.,  and  upon  cat- 
tle, and  upon  all  the  labor  of  the  hands,"  "  Aud  now  1  pra}  you  con- 
sider, from  this  day  and  upward,  from  before  a  stone  was  laid  upon  a 
stone  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord  ;  bince  those  days  were  when  one  came 
to  an  heap  of  twenty  measures,  there  were  but  ten  :  when  cue  ivme  to 
th  e  press-fat  for  to  draw  out  fifty  vessels  out  of  the  press,  there  were 
but  tweoty.  I  smote  you  with  blasting,  and  with  nvldew,  and  with 
hail,  in  all  (lie  labors  of  your  hands."  So  far  from  increasing  iheir 
property,  as  they  expteied,  by  robbing  God,  they  greatly  lessened  it. 
And  those  who  rob  God  now,  by  withholding  a  suitable  support  from 
his  ministers,  or  by  refusing  to  build  a  temple  for  his  worship,  may 
expect,  sooner  or  later,  the  same  result.  They  may  htap  up  thdr  ill 
gotten  gains,  but  how  easy  it  is  for  God  to  blow  upon  them,  and  they 
vanish  !  But  if  men  Avould  take  the  most  certain  method  of  iucrea^in^ 
their  property,  let  them  pay  God  his  due.  Let  them  cease  to  rob  him 
or  his  ministers.  For  he  says,  in  the  verses  which  follow  the  text, 
-;  Biing  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the  store  house,  that  there  may  be  meat  in 
mine  house,  and  prove  me  now  herewith,  sai  h  the  Lord  of  hists,  if  1 
will  not  open  you  the  windows  of  heaven,  and  pour  jou  out  a  blr?sin£, 
that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive  it."  As  if  he  had  said, 
Try  me  once  and  if  I  do  not  fulfil  my  word,  never  trust  me  again. 
He  then  adds,  "  And  I  will  rebuke  the  devourer  for  your  sakcs,  and 
lie  shall  not  destroy  ihe  fruits  o!  your  ground  ;  neither  shall  your  vine 
cast  her  fruit  before  the  time  in  the  field,  saith  ihc  Lord  of  Hi  sts.  Ar.d 
all  nations  shall  call  you  blessed  :  for  ye  fhall  be  a  delightsome  land, 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  So  true  are  the  words  of  the  wise  man, 
(Prov.  11.24,)  '-There  i-  th*t  scattereth,  and  yet  iucrraseth  ;  and 
there  is  Ihat  whhholdoth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendrth  to  \-<  vrrty." 
2.  In  the  light  of  this  subject,  we  see  the  mistake  of  those  v\lio  sup- 
would  bo  better  to  have  ministers  supported  by  a  j  ublic  fund, 


24 


their  tenth  ?  It  is  no  more  for  a  poor  man  to  pay  his  tenth,  than  it  u 
for  the  rich.  If  you  are  poor,  your  tenth  will  be  small.  If  you  are 
rich,  it  will  be  in  exact  proportion  to  wha  you  possess.  So,  we  see, 
that  in  God's  opinion,  the  plea  of  inability  is>,  in  roost  cases,  utterly 
vaiu.  Where  there  are  ten  families,  who  can  worship  together,  they 
are  always  able  to  support  the  gospel.  No  it  is  not  their  inability, 
•which  keeps  most  societies  from  having  the  gospel  among  them 
plea  is  only  used  as  a  decent  veil  to  hide  their  Redness.  It  is  a  rea- 
son which  they  are  ashamed  to  avow.  It  is  Ihiir  coveiouwess. 

4.  ID  the  light  of  this  subject,  we  see,  that  there  is  no  reason  to 
charge  minister  with  being  hirelings,  because  they  claim  and  receive 
a  suitable  support  from  their  people.     There  is  a  great  hue  and  cry 
made  at  this  day,  against  those  ministers  wh,>  claim  a  suitable  support 
from  their  people,  as  though  the)  were  hirelings ;  and  some  who  pre 
tend  to  be  preachers  of  the  gospel  themselves,  are  foremost  in  this  clam- 
or.    But  if  claiming  and  receiving  a  suitable  suppo.t,  makes  a  man  a 
hireling,  then  Paul  was  a  hireling.     For  he  says,  he  took  wages  of  the 
church,  and  that  for  preaching.     If  this  makes  a  man  a  hireling,  thea 
Christ  la«gh<  his  disciples  to  be  hirelings.     For  he  told  them  to  make 
no  provision  for  themselves,  when  they  went  forth  to  preach,  because 
« the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire."     They  sh  uld  receive  their  wa- 
ges where  they  performed  their  work.     But  receiving  wages  is  uot 
what  makes  a  man  a  hireling.    It  is  selfahnrss  which  constitutes  a  man 
a  hireling.     A  man  is  a  hireling,  when  the  gain  is  his  principal  object. 
Thht  preacher  is  a  hireling,  who  cares  only  for  what  he  can  get,  but 
cares  not  for  the  flock.    That  man  is  a  hireling,  who  enters  the  ministry 
from  any  selfish  motive;  not  only  he  who  does  it  for  the  sake  of  gain, 
but  he  who  does  it  for  the  sake  of  honor  and  distinction,  because  lie 
loves  to  have  the  pre-eminence.     There  is  little  reason  to  think  Uiat 
men  enter  the  ministry,  at  this  day,  who  are  qualified  for  the  other 
learned  professions,  (or  the  sake  of  gain.     But  there  is  reason  to  fear 
that  some  undertake  to  preach,  who  are  not  qualified  for  this,  or  any 
other  Uarned   profession,  merely   from  an  aspiring,  ambitions  spirit, 
that  will  not  be  content  with  the  humble  station  for  which  Providence 
hat  qualified  them.     These  are  the  true  hireling  prcachc-s,  notwith- 
standing their  loud  professions  of  disinterestedness.     Paul  was  charged 
with  being  a  hireling,  by  the  false  teachers  of  his  day.     They  made 
;.;o  great  a  clamor  at  Corinth,  about  his  receiving  pay  for  preaching 
that  he  thought  it  expedient  to  wave  his  right,  in  thai  place,  and  1 
take  mages  of  other  chvrchcr,  while  he  preached  to  them.    They  rna-<: 


his  clamor,  iu  order  to  destroy  his  influence,  that  they  might  take  his 
place.  To  cut  ell  occasion  from  them,  he  dispensed  wi.h  his  right. 
But  he  was  very  carclul  10  inform  the  Corinthians  of  the  tiue  reason 
?if  Ijis  doing  so,  that  they  might  not  conclude  it  was  because  it  is  wrong 
to  receive  pay  for  preaching.  He  says,  2  Cor.  1 1.  8,  "  I  jobbed  oth- 
er churches,  tclcing  wage*  oj  them  to  do  you  service."  And  then  he 
expi esses  his  determination  to  do  so  still.  And  afterwards  he  says, 
"•  '•'  herefore  ?  Because  I  love  you  not  ?  God  knoweth."  lie  was 
sensible  that  to  those  who  esteemed  it  a  privilege  to  honor  the  Lord 
with  their  substance,  by  supporting  his  ministers,  it  would  seem  in  him 
like  a  want  of  love  for  them,  if  he  declined  it.  He  assures  them  that 
this  was  not  the  reason,  and  adds,  "  But  what  I  do,  that  I  will  do,  that 
1  may  cut  off  occasion  from  them  which  desire  occasion;  that  wherein 
the)-  glory,  they  may  b"  found  even  as  we."  They  gloried  in  their, 
disiut  -resfedness,  in  preaching  the  gospel  without  any  pay.  And  he 
thought  best,  in  this  particular  instance,  to  cut  oil' occasion  from  them, 
by  doing  so  too.  But  he  tells  us,  in  the  following  versus,  what  was  the 
character  of  these  men,  who  made  such  a  parade  of  their  disinterested- 
ness, and  raised  such  a  clamor  against  him,  because  he  took  pay  for 
preaching  He  says,  "  For  such  are  false  apostles,  deceitful  w.vkers, 
transforming  themselves  into  the  apostles  rf  Christ.  And  no  marvel; 
for  Satan  himself  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light.  Therefore  il  is 
no  great  thing  if  his  ministers  also  be  transformed  as  the  ministers  of 
righteousness."  N.>  ;  there  is  no  foundation  for  the  charge  against 
faidmil  ministers,  cf  being  hirelings,  merely  because  they  claim  and 
receive  that  support,  which  to  withhold  is  robbing  God.  And  when 
people  raise  this  clamor  r.gaiust  them,  for  receiving  what  God  com- 
inandf  to  be  given  them,  we  have  reason  to  conclude  it  is  done  merely 
to  excuse  themselves  from  paying  any  thing  that  it  is  merely  as  a  cloak 
ibr  their  covetuusness.  And  when  pretended  preachers  are  foremost  iu 
this  clamor,  we  have  reason  to  suspect  they  Invc  ?ome  sinister  des-igo, 
which  they  wish  to  conceal  by  a  gicat  show  of  disinterested  beucvc- 
lence. 

5.  If  those  people  who  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  minis- 
ters of  religion,  are  guilty  of  robbing  God,  then  those  ministers  who 
couinesau.ee  them  iu  doing  this,  are  partakers  in  their  guilt.  \Vlua 
ministers  do  :>ot  instinct  their  people  in  the  nature  of  their  duty,  when 
their  people  live  ifl  disobedience,  through  ignorance  of  what  God  re- 
quires, then  the  munVersj  undoubtedly  partake  largely  iu  the  guilt. 
They  ought  to  have  tmie^f  their  people  all  that  God  requires  cf  them. 

D 


-'0 

11'  people  vob  God,  when  they  neglect  their  duty  on  this  subject,  them 
minivers  ouglv.  to  instruct  their  pr<  pie  upou  his  ru'sjec!.  True  it  is 
a  sutvjf  d  1'  .enilinr  delicacy.  A.u<  ministers  expose  themselves  to 
the  charge  of  selfishness,  from  all  ihose  v'iose  selfish  feelings  may  be 
disturbed,  by  a  cl<  ar  exhibition  of  what  God  requires.  But  minisr 
fer-  must  do  th-  ir  rhi'y,  and  leave  the  conFoque.'Ces  w^li  Cod.  And 
if,  t'-.  rough  llu-  fear  of  subjecting  themselves  lo  reproach,  they  pass 
over  this  >,ubje.ct  in  s'lence,  and  their  people  live  in  the  habitual  prnc- 
ti< •('  of  robbing  Gud,  those  ministers  are  partakers  in  the  guilt.  There 
«re  ,}|.HO  many  o!h<  i  ways,  in  which  ministers  may  countenance  people 
BII  hic-  sin  I  speak  not  here  of  those  prettified  preachers,  of  whom 
the  apostle  speaks,  who,  in  the  face  of  God's  express  commas  d,  d«;;iy 
the  duty  of  supporting  ministers ;  but  I  speak  of  those  who  acknowl- 
'hat  God  requires  people  to  support  the  gospel,  and  yet  counte- 
w  te  ihem  in  neglecting  it.  Ministers  may  countenance  people  in  neg- 
lec^ing  this  duty,  by  giving  currency  to  the  plea  of  inability  which  is 
so  often  made  by  societies  and  by  individuals.  When  this  plea  is  made, 
in  th"  hearing  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  they  ought  to  be  very  care- 
ful to  set  people  light,  on  this  subject,  and  not  give  currency  to  an 
opinion  contrary  to  that  which  God  has  so  frequently  expressed  in  his 
word.  Ministers  may  countenance  people  in  this  SID,  by  accepiing  ao 
invi'atiou  to  settle  with  a  people,  who  do  not  off<  r  such  a  support  as  is 
in  their  power,  and  such  as  is  suitable  for  tlum  to  aflbrd,  P>esb»teries 
:m<!  ordaining  councils  may  countenance  people  in  this  siu,  by  ordain- 
ing and  installing  ministers  among  people  who  do  not  make  a  suitable 
provision  for  (heir  support.  A  minister  may  countenance  people  in  this 
bin,  by  Buffering  them  to  defraud  him,  and  to  rob  God,  in  this  w<»y, 
from  year  to  year,  and  using  no  means  to  bring  them  to  attend  to  their 
duty  in  this  respect,  A  minister  who  lias  other  means  of  support  and 
does  not  insist  upon  the  punctual  performance  of  his  people's  engage, 
merits,  because  he  is  not  actually  in  a  state  of  suffering,  is  encouraging 
»iiem  in  the  neglect  of  present  duty,  and  is  preparing  them  to  continue 
in  'he  habitual  practice  of  this  siu,  after  he  shall  be  taken  away.  He 
is  training  up  the  rising  generation  to  be  robbers  of  God.  And  a  min- 
ister may  countenance  his  people  in  this  sin,  by  continuing  with  them, 
after  he  sees  that  they  are  determined  not  to  do  their  duty  on  this  ^u'o« 
ject.  When  a  minister  discovers  among  his  people,  a  disposition  not 
to  do  their  duty  in  this  respect,  it  his  indispensible  duty  io  bear  testi- 
mony ag'tins'  their  wickedness,  and  if  the}  persist  in  it,  to  leave  them, 
ft  '':«•  c.mti  me?  with  them,  while  they  do  rot,  r^od  will  not  support  him, 
and  at  the  same  time  they  are  able  to  do  ^  he  countenances  them  i« 


robbing  God,  and  is  a  partaker  in  their  guilt.     If  his 

permit  him  to  give  his  ministerial  labors,  a.s  a  matter  of  charily,  {ie 

ought  to  give  them  to  a  people  that  need  his  charity. 

6.  In  the  light  of  this  subject  we  see,  that  those  who  drive  away 
ministers,  by  withholding  a  suitable  support,  are  chargeable  with  the 
blood  of  those  who  perish  for  lack  of  vision.     The  preaching  of  the 
gospel  is  the  appointed   means  of  falvatiou.     But,  "  where  there  is  no 
vifion,  the  people  perish."    For  the  apostle  says,  Rom.  10,  14,  "•  How 
shall  they  believe  io  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  And  how 
shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher  ?"  When  men  drive  away  the  miu» 
isters  of  religion,  they  diive  away  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.     And 
when  they  drive  away  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  they  drive  away 
the  means  of  salvation.     And  when  they  drive  away  the  means  of  sal- 
vation, (hey  are  as  really  guilty  of  the  blood  of  souls,  as  ihe  man  is 
guilty  of  murder,  who  withholds  bread  from  the  hungry  till  he  die?. 
And  when  people  neglect  to  establish  the  gospel  among  them,  and  are 
able  to  do  so,  the  effect  is  the  same.     They  withhold  the  bread  of  life, 
and  the  people  perish.  Let  those,  then  who  indulge  themselves  in  with- 
holding a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  ot  religion,  reflect  upon 
the  consequences  of  their  conduct.    They  not  only  withhold  ftom  God 
that  \\hich  is  his  right,  but  are  taking  the  most  direct  means  to  effect 
the  eternal  Destruction  of  their  fellow  men.     They  are  not  only  guilty 
of  robbery,  and  of  sacrilege,  but  they  are  guilty  of  murder,  the  mur- 
der of  immortal  sculp. 

7.  In  the  view  uf  this  subject,  what  must  we  think  of  those  professors 
of  religion,  who  withhold  a  suitable  support  from  the  ministers  of  the 
gospel  ?  They  arc  guilty  of  jobbing  God,  and  they  are  guilty  of  rob- 
bing his  ministers.     And  they  are  not  orly  guilty  of  robbery,  arid  sac- 
rilege, but  they  are  guilty  of  murder.     1  hey  are  chargeable  with  the 
blood  of  souls.  Can  such  be  christiaus  ?  If  lliey  defraud,  and  rob,  both 
God  and  th<  ir  neighbor,  and  withhold  (he  bread  of  life  from  those  who 
Sie  perishing  for  hunger,  what  must  we  think  of  their  religion  ?  Must 
we  not  think  it  is  vain  ?  Must  we  not  think  they  are  no  better  than  hyp- 
ocritet,  ?  And  we  not  tjnirequently  see  persons  make  high  professions 
of  iflig'on,  and  a  great  show  of  attachment  to  the.  cause  of  Christ, 
while  it  costs  nothing  ;  but  whin  they  are  called   upon  to  honor  the 
Lord  with  their  substnncp,  and  to  evidence  their  attachment  to  Christ, 
by  devoting  a  share  of  their  property  to  him,  they  are  sadly  deficient. 
They  have  nothing  to  spare.     They  cannot  afford  to  pay.    Thry  work 
hard  for  their  property,  and  they  want  it  themselves.     Or  if 


pi-events  their  refusing  wholly,  they  contribute  a  mere  trifle,  they 
that  nhidi  is  next  to  nothing.     But  \vlia'  mu'-t  »v  ihuik  of  smh  chm 
tians?  Can  they  be  Christians,  and  h:\ve.  no  more  ivgsru  for  tht  lionoi 
of  Christ?  Can  they  be  Christians,  and  have  no  more  n-gara  tW  the. 
welfare  of  immortal  souls  ?  Can  they  be  christiaus,  and  do  they  pin  so 
small  a  value  upon  the  blessings  of  the  gospel,  tha>  th?y  cannot  tifhrd 
to  pay  a  fiftieth,  or  a  humhedth  part  of  their  income,  for  the  sa« 
enjoying  them  ?  Can  they  be  Christians,  and  manifest  no  more  r< 
for  the  positive  commands  of  God  ?  No  duty  is  more  clearly  enjoined 
in  the  scriptures,  than  the  duty  of  supporting  the  gospel.     But  \\hai 
must  we  think  of  those  who  profess  religion,  and  yet  will  not  do  their 
part  ?  What  saith  the  scripture  ?  1  John  2.  4,  "  He  that  saith,  I  know 
him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  him." 

8.  In  the  view  of  this  subject,  let  every  man  examine  himself.  Are 
you  guilty  of  robbing  God?  Are  yon  guilty  of  withholding  from  the 
ministers  of  religion  a  suitable  support  ?  Let  each  individual  examine 
hunseli,  and  review  his  whole  conduct  through  life,  in  relation  to  this 
subject.  And  let  this  people,  as  a  people,  examine  themselves.  You 
hat!  a  minister  formerly,  liow  was  he  supported  ?  Did  you  promise 
liuii  as  much  as  God  requires  his  ministers  should  have  ?  And  how  did 
you  fulfil  your  engagements  ?  Die)  j  ou  pay  him  with  punctuality,  or 
did  you  rob  God,  by  withholding  it  ?  And  has  he,  to  this  day,  been 
paid  all  that  was  promised  him  ?  You  have  a  minister  now.  But  I 
leave  it  to  every  man's  conscience  to  say,  whether  he  is  guilty  of  rob- 
bing God,  with  respect  to  him. 

Finally.  Let  all  who  feel  themselves  reproved  by  this  subject.  >> 
exhorted  to  repent  and  reform. 


A    000  988  620     1 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


Series  9482 


